"Republicans Struggle to Unify on House Speaker Candidate at Forum"
Republicans held a closed-door forum to find consensus on a new speaker for the US House of Representatives, but failed to reach a decision. The party has been divided between rightwing hardliners and more mainstream Republicans, causing a leadership vacuum since former speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted. The infighting has stalled congressional action on funding needs for Israel, Ukraine, and the federal government. Republicans are concerned that none of the declared speaker candidates will be able to secure the necessary votes on the House floor. The party is set to meet on Tuesday to continue the selection process.